The Huffington Post on Sunday, Nov. 3 compiled a list of 50 Stunning Synagogues And Temples From Around the World and Cleveland made the list not once, but twice! That’s correct, Park Synagogue and Temple Tifereth-Israel both made the list! L’Chaim!
Park Synagogue, also known as Anshe Emeth Beth Teflio by its Hebrew name, is one of the largest Conservative congregations in the United States.
Founded somewhere in downtown Cleveland in 1869, as Jews began to move east, so did the synagogue.
In 1917, Park Synagogue merged with Beth Tefilo and created a home base for their 300 families on East 105th Street that would be dedicated in 1922 as the Cleveland Jewish Center. During this time, Rabbi Goldman took young Armond Cohen under his wing, and at the age of 25 he became Rabbi Cohen of the Cleveland Jewish Center (later known as Park Synagogue).
With much of the Jewish population living in Cleveland Heights, Park Synagogue purchased property and immediately became the eastern branch for the congregation, and an architectural gem and historic landmark. In order to meet the needs of the Jewish population that continued to move eastward, Park East opened in Pepper Pike. Rabbi Joshua Hoffer Skoff is senior rabbi with a current membership that boasts 1,900 families.
Next to rank in the 50 Stunning Synagogues And Temples From Around the World is Temple-Tifereth Israel, which was founded in 1850!
Some know it as “The Temple” or “Silver’s Temple” but to many it is a staple landmark in Cleveland. Temple-Tifereth Israel was Cleveland’s first Reform synagogue started by 47 German-speaking families. This small group moved from rented quarters to a newer temple located on Huron Road. Due to an increase in membership, the temple moved to a more elegant location on East 55th Street and Central Avenue and it was under the rabbinate of Rabbi Aaron Hahn (1877-1892) at the time. Men and women were no longer separated and English language prayer books were used, leading to many Orthodox traditions being lost. It is described as Classical Reform. By 1963, under renowned Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, The Temple was referred to as Silver’s Temple and grew to include more than 2,000 families.
The new congregation built a marvelous home for themselves on Ansel Road and East 105th Street in 1924 that is an eye-catcher in University Circle. The Temple Museum of Religious Art, founded in 1950, was built as a Mazal Tov! to the congregation’s centennial, and is a world-leading synagogue museum. The Temple has another home in Beachwood on Shaker Boulevard next to the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage and is led by Senior Rabbi Richard A. Block.